My daughters have a hard time finding swim wear. This is a good place to look.
Modest Swimwear - Juniors - Size 13: "Simply the best fabric on the market! Nice 'beefy' weight and phenomenal color absorption. Neck, back, and armholes cut a bit higher. Ties in the back. A very comfortable suit. Tops and bottoms sold separately. Choose print or solid."
I saw an article about an elephant that had fallen into a pit:
| Elephant rescue: "Yesterday afternoon at 2.30 we received an urgent call from a nearby farm, Embori that borders the Mt. Kenya Forest Reserve, reporting an elephant that had fallen into a pit latrine and was totally stuck. The exhausted elephant was surrounded by local community farmers, who were threatening to kill the animal for meat." |  |
In this story there is a metaphor for the Republican Party. I am a registered Republican and voted for John McCain in the last election. As a matter of fact I was hoping for a
McCain/Powell candidacy, but alas it was not to be. I stand to the right of center on most issues. It is important you understand where I stand when I make this statement: like the elephant in the Mt. Kenya Forest Reserve, the Republican Party is stuck in a pit and is doomed.
About one third of this country will vote Democratic regardless of whether Barrack Obama, Nancy Pelosie or Mickey Mouse is running. About one third of the country will vote Republican whether John McCain, Rush Limbaugh or Satan himself (the devil you know is better than the one you don't after all) is the candidate. That leaves about a third that actually decide the elections. These are those "independents", the "swing states". These are the people who for whatever reason go to the ballot box and decide who will be in office. Over the course of time they hear each party's message and then vote.
Who tells us what each party's message is?
For the Democrats it is President Obama who speaks for the party. A well-spoken well-thoughtout man who is able to deliver a meaningful message to the public. He scores very high on the "
not an embarrasement" scale. While others of his party are more polarized, he does a very good job of speaking not only to his own party but also to those who are more moderate.
For the Republicans ..... anyone? anyone? The Republicans today do not have a clear voice that speaks to both the party and the independents. Who speaks for the Republican Party then? With no clear leader the void is being filled by Rush, Beck, Hannity and the like. These people are not elected, have no responsibility to any constituents and really have a different job than an office holder.
First and foremost they are entertainers. Their job is to have enough listeners that advertisers will pay to sponsor their various radio, television and other programs. That is it, simply entertainers. They have no duty to speak to the independents, no duty to compromise or even a duty to the truth. They use fear, uncertainty and doubt to get people to listen, much the same way the evening news operates. Indeed, it is not dissimilar to the propaganda tactics of world war II that would demonize the enemy. In this case the enemy is the Democratic Party and the theory is that anything that comes from the Democrats is wrong.
With this model of entertainment, they make the most outlandish claims because it is in their own best interest to do so. Barack's birth certificate and death panels are are just some of the more recent arguments made by these entertainers. It gets people angry or scared, and therefore keeps them listening. Even better if they are talked about in other news outlets. There is no bad publicity after all.
Public policy debate is sidetracked by politics aimed to make the enemy look bad rather than dealing with the issues and making decisions that are best for the country. I am a Republican and I see it for what it is. The moderates and independents see it for what it is. Worse, since the entertainers' position is one of simply destroying the enemy, the conservative position is excluding itself from having a meaningful impact on public policy.
Where does all this leave the Republic Party? Sinking into the pit.
With no clear voice that can speak for the party, the entertainers are speaking for the party. With each more outlandish accusation, each half-truth and each new conspiracy, the independants are thinking "these guys are nuts" and "how can anyone really believe all this?" You are not intended to believe it, just be entertained by it.
I am a Republican and these people do not speak for me. As long as there is no leader who can speak not only to the party but also to the independents the party will remain mired in the pit. If the current lack of leadership remains, the party will continue to splinter and will slowly disappear into lots of little groups. I do not really expect that to happen but until a true leader who is not simply an entertainer steps up, the elephant will remain in the pit.
